An Image I Love

Spirit Bear                                                                   Paul Nicklen

The Spirit Bear (Kermode Bear) is a black bear that due to a recessive genetic mutation is born with white fur. This trait only occurs in black bear populations in one isolated section of rain forest in British Columbia. The trait is thought to have survived and become so prominent due to their spiritual value to people native to the region who protected them and  never spoke of them to fur traders. Nestled under thousand year old  red cedars; a spirit bear enjoys a hard-caught meal.